Business, general

Doing works within Works, sometimes with some help

Article Abstract:

Claris' $49 Clarisworks 4.0 integrated software offers good support for home or small office users, but the online help makes navigating the interface more clumsy than a printed manual would. Clarisworks offers modules for spreadsheets, word processing, communications, databases, drawing and painting. Assistants guide users through tasks, but they only offer a limited number of options, fewer than the program actually provides. The word processing module comes with nine menus, enough tools to make document creation simple. Users may add a spreadsheet or graphic without quitting the word processor. Users may employ a variety of word processing templates, but their labels are cryptic. The spreadsheet and database are moderately powerful and provide a helpful selection of templates. The new Expressstyle feature offers preset styles for tables, graphics and outlines, while the Fastreport function adds rapid database searching.

Author: Shannon, L.R.

Publisher:The New York Times CompanyPublication Name:The New York TimesSubject:Business, generalISSN:0362-4331Year:1996

Playing around with your photos on a Zip Drive

Article Abstract:

Iomega's Zip removable disk drive uses 100MB cartridges that are ideal for data backup or storing large files. The drive is prices between $150 and $200, the cartridges generally cost about $20. The Zip drive provides an excellent way to back up an entire hard disk, and its performance is actually faster than many hard drives. It is also ideal for working with large applications, such as Adobe Photodeluxe, which requires 45MB of hard drive space. Instead of storing large applications on the hard drive, the user can opt to keep them on separate disks and pop into the Zip drive in order to use them. Photodeluxe, priced around $90, is available for Windows or the Macintosh. The application edits photos that are taken with a digital camera or scanned into the computer and saved on disk. The software is easy to use and the photographs can be incorporated into letters, E-mail or almost any document.

Author: Shannon, L.R.

Publisher:The New York Times CompanyPublication Name:The New York TimesSubject:Business, generalISSN:0362-4331Year:1996

Some simple tools for Sunday painters

Article Abstract:

Davidson and Associates' Flying Colors, about $40, and Claris' Clarisdraw are two nice programs for aspiring computer artists. Flying Colors is a paint program that comes with a bevy of tools, including brushes and an eraser, and a variety of shapes and fill patterns. Tutorials in the 56-page manual guide the user in creating a birthday card, a surreal landscape and three other artworks. Macintosh and Windows versions on both CD-ROM and floppies are available. Clarisdraw, a follow-on for the venerable Macpaint program for the original Macintosh, has a street price of about $270. The many tools are more than sufficient for ordinary business graphics. The import export facility handles the Macdraw Pro, Macdraw II 1.1, CGM, Pict and EPSF file formats. The program comes with a 190-page manual and extensive on-screen help.

Author: Shannon, L.R.

Publisher:The New York Times CompanyPublication Name:The New York TimesSubject:Business, generalISSN:0362-4331Year:1995